Prior to this past weekend, the Waynesburg University women’s cross country team had not competed at their home course in five years. The Yellow Jackets ended that streak and hosted the Waynesburg University Invitational at the Greene County Airport, where they took first place out of 11 teams that competed.

Head coach Chris Hardie was thrilled that his team could finally run on their home course. “Anytime you get a chance to run in front of your home fans, and the alumni get to come back, it’s really great,” said Hardie. “I am really glad to bring the race back and to also host again for the PAC Championships in a couple of weeks.”

The Yellow Jackets have always been on the move traveling to different meets, which creates a repetitive routine, but Hardie was pleased with how they handled the change.

“We have traveled to our races for the past five years, so this is something new to the athletes which changed their routine a little,” said Hardie. “I believe that their routine is very important and this meet changed it, but they handled it very well.”

Hosting this meet also gives the Yellow Jackets a competitive advantage when the Presidents’ Athletic Conference championship arrives, Hardie said.

“The advantage for us is running on that course a few times a week for the rest of the way,” he said. “We will be comfortable with the turns and problem areas that the course has and will give us the upper hand.”

As one of two seniors on the team, Teghan Simonton has never competed at the Greene County Airport. But according to Simonton, the course itself was not in the best condition.
“It was kind of a rough course,” said Simonton. “The grass was really knotted and lumpy because it hasn’t been used a lot.”

Despite the condition of the course, Simonton felt the invitational was a unique experience that brought many from the Waynesburg community together.

“It was really fun having so many people come out and support us,” said Simonton. “That usually never happens, even President Lee was there and shook every single person’s hand at the start line.”

But the course itself was not in the best condition.

“It was kind of a rough course,” said Simonton. “The grass was really knotted and lumpy because it hasn’t been used a lot.”

Just like Hardie, Simonton also agrees that having the PAC Championship at home gives their team an advantage.

“We have been doing workouts there, but there isn’t anything that can replicate a race there,” said Simonton. “In a lot of ways, it was very encouraging since we did so well.”

Simonton believes that the team can repeat the same success at the PAC Championship at the end of October. With the championship coming up fast, Simonton is confident in the young team.

“The team is very young but extremely talented,” said Simonton. “The freshmen are very strong and work together well, which puts us in a good position.”

With the team taking first place on a course they haven’t competed on, Hardie was still excited with the performances.

Simonton and freshmen Aubrey Wingeart and Gloria Reed were the top performers for the team. Wingeart was the first to cross the finish line, coming in fourth place overall. Simonton and Reed followed right behind her coming in sixth and seventh place.

The women’s cross country team is off this upcoming weekend, but is back in action Oct. 6 at the DeSales Invitational.